Faizan Zaki, 13, from Dallas, Texas, emerged victorious at the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling "éclaircissement," a word meaning "clearing up of something obscure." This marked Zaki’s fourth appearance in the competition and distinguished him as only the fifth speller to win the Bee after finishing second the previous year.
The championship round was fiercely contested, with promising Indian-American spellers Sarvadnya Kadam from Bossier City, Louisiana, and Sarv Dharavane from Austin, Texas, both faltering on challenging words. Kadam missed the word "meliponine," which refers to a stingless bee species, while Dharavane stumbled on "burgall," the name of a small North American fish. These errors temporarily opened the path for Zaki, who himself nearly exited after misspelling "commelina," a genus of flowering plants, by prematurely starting with a "k." Judges promptly rang the bell, as Zaki bypassed his usual questioning process before spelling.
In an unusual decision, all three top contestants—Zaki, Kadam, and Dharavane—were reinstated after their simultaneous elimination in the same round, intensifying the competition. The final stages displayed remarkable resilience and skill, with spellers including Harini Murali, Brian Liu, and Aishwarya Kallakuri joining the lead pack. Together, they achieved an impressive streak of 23 consecutive correct words.
Zaki's calm demeanor contributed to his success; his composed style included hands casually tucked into his hoodie pockets and rhythmic hand movements while spelling. His victory not only added him to the roster of only 110 champions in the Bee’s history but also highlighted his persistence and dedication over multiple appearances since 2019.
The 2025 finals, held after more than a decade in Maryland, are set to return to Washington D.C., moving to Constitution Hall next year. While Kadam and Dharavane did not clinch the title, their exemplary linguistic skills and fortitude earned them widespread respect. The competition underscored the high standards of precision and perseverance required to succeed at the national level.
